Kenwood Introduces Car Tuner for HD Radio

Jan. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- HD Radio technology, digital broadcasting for AM and FM radio, will be among the most important new technologies making its debut here at this year's international Consumer Electronics Show, and it is receiving significant support from Kenwood, a leading brand of aftermarket mobile entertainment products.

Kenwood, based in Long Beach, Calif., today became the first aftermarket electronics company to introduce an HD Radio tuner (model KTC-HR100), and it also unveiled eight HD Radio Ready in-dash DVD and CD receivers. The 2003 line, consisting of both Kenwood Excelon and Kenwood brand models, is by far the largest selection of HD Radio capable receivers, and demonstrates Kenwood's strong support of the category.

According to officials for iBiquity, the developer and licenser of HD Radio technology, radio stations in more than 40 U.S. metropolitan areas, including the ten largest, will begin digital AM and FM broadcasts in early 2003. iBiquity, a privately held company backed by leading broadcast and media companies, is based in Columbia, Md.

"Kenwood continues to be aggressive in taking a leadership role in supporting new, digital mobile entertainment technology," said Bob Law, senior vice president of the consumer electronics division at Kenwood USA. "Every 3D Mask DVD/CD in-dash receiver in our 2003 line is HD Radio Ready. That gives consumers tremendous latitude in model selection as well as the option to add an HD Radio tuner when they buy a receiver, or after their initial purchase."

Law said the Kenwood KTC-HR100 HD Radio tuner, which can only be used with Kenwood receivers, would be available to consumers from Kenwood dealers in the second quarter of 2003.

"With 200 Million listeners tuning into AM/FM radio daily, HD Radio technology will bring about the biggest change to radio since the introduction of FM Stereo," said Robert J. Struble, president and CEO, iBiquity Digital Corporation. "Kenwood's customers are about to experience this revolutionary change with advanced technology products from a manufacturer that dominates the mobile electronics industry."

Using the Kenwood HD Radio tuner with an HD Radio Ready Kenwood Excelon or Kenwood receiver allows consumers to hear all stations, whether or not they are broadcasting digital signals. For those that do broadcast digitally, the HD Radio Tuner automatically selects the digital signal. Digital broadcasts provide significantly improved audio quality and better reception (for both AM and FM) as well as the ability to include information, such as artist name and song title, or traffic news, that can be shown on the radio display or stored for later reference.

Further information can be obtained by contacting Kenwood USA Corporation, P.O. Box 22745, Long Beach, CA 90801, by calling 1-800-Kenwood, or by visiting http://www.kenwoodusa.com/.

Source: Kenwood USA Corporation

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